hamilton



2 sheets-sheet 1 (No Model.)

W. HAMILTON.

MBTAL'EXTRAGTING APPARATUS.

Patented Feb. 3,' 18 5.

INVEN T UB (No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 2. W. HAMILTON.

METAL EXTRAGTING APPARATUS.

No. 311,'7AB.v

Patented Feb, 3, 1885.`

llnirnn diaries iParnivr Ormes.

VALTER HAMILTON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ACME MINING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

M ETAL-EXTRACTING APPARATUS..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,748, dated February 3, 1885.

Application filed April 30, 1884. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom. it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WALTER HAMILTON, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Metal- Extracting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for the extraction of metals from their ores by the lead-bath process-that is, b y the amalgamation of the metal contained in the ore with molten lead; and it has for its object the complete distribution oi" the ore as it passes through the lead, so that every portion of it will be exposed to contact with the lead, and so that it will not be exposed to oxidation in its passage. i

In earrrying out my invention I feed the crushed ore into an open chamber submerged in and filled with the lead, which carries the ore from one end of the kettle to the other, and is so arranged that the ore carried by itis spread out or distributed in its passage. At the discharge end of the kettle thc refuse rises from the chamber to the discharge. I employ a series of these chambers, moving suecessively through the lead, and each carrying a portion of the ore from one end of the kettle to the other, and delivering the refuse to the discharge.

The series of open chambers is arranged in the form of a cylinder revolving in the lead. I prefer to have this cylinder completely submerged in the lead, and to employ a suitable intermittentl y-operati ng feeding device, which will deliver successive portions ofthe ore to each chamber as it passes the feeding end, when such chamber will carry the ore down and then up again. As the chamber moves, it being iilled with the lead, the ore, being buoyant in the lead, constantly changes its position in the chambers, and is thus spread out and distributed during the passage.

Instead of using` a feeding device, I may so place the cylinder that the top of it is above the lead, and the ore being placed upon the surface of the lead at the feeding end, the chambers pass through it and each takes in a portion of the ore to carry it around to the discharge; or one cylinder may carry the ore around and then deliver it to another, which will immerse it again and carry it to the discharge.

My invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying the preferred form of the invention; Fig. 2., a transverse section of the kettle with the distributing apparatus in elevation; Fig. 3, a plan View of the apparatus, the adjustable dischargeplate and the plunger being omitted for elearness; Fig. 4, Va view ofthe cylinder, partlyin plan view and partly in section; Fig. 5, a seetion of a part of the cylinder; Fig. 6, a sectional view of an apparatus having the same cylinder, with a different form of feeding device; Fig. 7 a section of an apparatus in which the cylinder is self-feeding; and Fig. 8, a section of an apparatus employing two cylinders.

A is a suitable kettle. It has a cover consisting of a curved central portion, B, an inclined part C at one end, and an adjustable inclined part D at the other, and side walls, E E, on each side of its parts B C D. The part C forms with the inclined side of the kettle beneath it a feeding-passage, and part D similarly forms a discharging-passage. The cover has exterior iianges, upon which it is supported, as shown, so that it is readily removable to reach the interior of the kettle.

Under the middle portion, B, of the cover thel cylinder revolves. This cylinder is an open cage, consisting of a central hub, a, placed on a shaft, i), end plates, b b', connected by crossbars d d and radial plates c c, each extending from the hub to the edge of. one of the crossbars d, and thus dividing the cylinder into a series of open chambers. The radial plates are riflled on both sides, as shown.` NVhen the cylinder is immersed in the molten lead, these chambers are of course lled with it. The end plates have one or more apertures, d, for each chamber. The surface-line of the lead in the kettle is indicated by the dotted linexx. The sha-it b is supported in bearings at the ends of rods c e, which pass through tubular bearings ff on the inside of walls E E of the cover, and are adjustable in such tubular bearings by turning nuts e' e', so that IOO the cylinder can be raised or lowered to adjust its position relative to the cover. A Worm-wheel, g, is on shaft b, and engages with Worm h, which passes through the long tubular bearing t', supported upon the cover, and is revolved by pulley lc or by any suitable gearing from any source of power. Part D of the cover is hinged at Z, so that its inclination can be adjusted to change the angle at which the material rises to the discharge according to the different specific gravities of the various ores which may be used. A screw, m, pissing through a lug on one of the side walls E, serves as an adjustable stop to hold the plate D at the angle at which it is placed, keeping it from being pressed back by the lead. The hinged plate D is omitted in Fig. 3 for clearness. p

All the parts of the apparatus, being supported by the movable cover, can be readily taken out from the kettle.

Referring, now, more especially to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, F is a plunger (omitted in Fig. 3) for feeding the ore to the distributing-chambers. Ribs or flanges n a are formed upon the under side of inclined part C of the cover,

forming guides for the plunger, and these ribs extend around to the inner side of curved part B on both sides of the revolving cylinder, forming a kind of pocket for the ore fed down by the plunger. The plunger F is tubular, and a rod, G, extends through it, carrying at its lower end a faceplate, o, for the plunger. This face-plate is moved out quickly when the plunger reaches its lowest point to shake off the ore and prevent the plunger from drawing back any of it in its return movement. Plunger F and rod G are connected with any suitable source of motion.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The kettle being filled with the melted lead, which also fills all the distributing-chambers of thev revolving cylinder, the plunger F is forced down, delivering a portion of the ore to the chamber which is at that point of the kettle. This chamber moves on down and up again, and as it continually changes its inclination the ore in it continually changes its position, as shown, being constantly buoyed up by the lead, and is thus distributed, so that every part of it comes into contact with the lead. The ore thus spreads itself up one side of' one of the radial plates as thecylinder carries it down, and up the opposing side of an adjacent plate as it rises. Both sides of cach plate thus act on the ore, and it is thereby most effectually distributed, the riflles ou the plates assisting the distribution. No apparatus has heretofore been used in which this acvtion could occur, the ore never before having been placed between two radial plates. Vhen the chamber rises as far as the hinged plate D, the opening of the chamber is above the material in it from which the metal portion has been removed during the passage, and such material or tailings therefore rises throughsaid opening and passes up to the discharge. The cylinder is adjusted to bring it close to the cover, so that said cover forms a scraping surface, and the ore, when fed down, cannot pass abovethe cylinder, but must enter the chambers. VThe plunger delivers a portion of ore to each chamber successively as they pass, and each chamber carries it around and delivers it in the manner just described. Such portion ofthe lead in the chamber as is displaced by the entrance of the ore escapes through the apertures d' in the end plates. By having a hub, ct, instead of letting the radial plates extend from a center, the ore is prevented from being crowded into angles, from which it could not readily escape. It

will be seen that the kettle is completely covered, except at the feeding and discharging openings, which are filled by the ore and ret'- use, so that the lead is nowhere exposed to oxidation.

In Fig. 6 is shown the cylinder,constructed, as already described, with the intermittentlyoperating feeding device,set forth in an application made by me of even date' herewith. This device is a rocking plate, H, having a curved end, p, which plate is pivoted at. r, and is moved by means cfa rod, I, connected with the source of power. In this view the kettle and portions of the cover are omitted, being the same as are shown in the preceding figures, except that the kettle is extended at the feeding end to give room for the feedingplate. The plate H rocks down, carrying with it a portion of the ore, and in its descent the ore spreads itself along the plate, and finally all rises to one of the chambers in the cylinder, which carries it to the discharge end of the kettle, as previously explained. The plate H rocks up and down, bringing down fresh supplies of ore to the different chambers as the cylinder revolves.

In Fig. 7 the cylinder is not vwholly submerged, a portion of it extending above the surface of the lead. and as it revolves entering the ore accumulated at the feeding end, so that each chamber takes in some of the ore and carries it down. The cylinder is similarly constructed, supported, and revolved as before. In this formot' theapparatus the cover is differently constructed, having a vertical partition, J, which, with part C, forms a kind of hopper, in which the ore is placed. While this partially-submerged and self-feeding cylinder is in some cases a desirable and convenient apparatus, I prefer, usually, to have the distributing-chambers entirely submerged,

and employ a device for feeding the ore down to them. I may, however, employ both forms together, as is illustrated in Fig. 8. Here the self-feeding cylinder carries the cre to a smaller but similarly-constructed cylinder, K. which carries it down again and delivers it to the discharge. By thus passing the ore through two cylinders, or more, if desired, its angle of movementis changed again and again, and consequently it is better distributed. 4

I am aware that in apparatus for the pur- IOO IIO

ISO

elijas 3 pose described a revolving cylinder has been employedhaving corrugations or flanges upon its surface, in which corrugations or flanges the ore was intended to be carried down through the lead to rise again on the other side. An example is the patent of Taylor, No. 253,785. In such adevice, however, there is no opportunity for the ore to change its position or spread itself out, but it becomes packed in by the pressure of the lead, so that not only is it not brought into complete contact with the lead, but it is prevented from rising.

It is evident that the devices herein described and claimed are applicable to a mercury process of amalgamation, although I prefer to use the lead-bath process. I am also aware of the employment as a feeding device of a series of cups or buckets, which carried the ore to the bottom of the kettle, from whence it was allowed to rise through the liquid-as, for instance, in the patent of Vanderhoof, No. 283,540. Such buckets, however, are not distributing-chambers,77 for in them the ore is always in the same position, being packed in and not allowed to be scattered or separated in its passage, the distribution of the ore being accomplished as it rises after leaving the buckets. I am not aware that distributingchambers have ever been used to convey the ore through the amalgamating-liquid in which the ore was allowed to be scattered or distributed during its passage.

XV hat I claim isl. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with the kettle, of an open distributingchamber traveling longitudinally in the kettle, whereby the material is conveyed through the liquid from the feeding end toward the discharge, substantially as set forth.

2. In extracting apparatus of the character 1 described, the combination, with the kettle, of

a series of open distributing-chambers traveling in succession longitudinally through the kettle, whereby successive portions of the material are carried through the liquid from the feeding toward the discharge, substantially as set forth.

3. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a kettle, of an open distributing-chamber constantly submerged in the liquid of the kettle for conveying the ore through the liquid, and a feeding device for conveying the ore beneath the surface of the liquid to said chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a kettle, of a series of distributing-chambers for conveying the ore through the liquid of the kettle, and an intermittently-operating feeding device for feeding portions of ore successively to the chambers, substantially as set forth.

5. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a kettle, of

a cylinder revolving in a direction parallel with the length of the kettle, having open distributing-chambers for conveying the ore through the liquid of the kettle, substantially as set forth. 'y v 6. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a kettle, of a revolving cylinder entirely submerged in the liquid of the kettle, having open distributing chambers for conveying the ore through the liquid, and an intermittently-operating feeding device conveying portions of ore successively to the chambers, substantially as set forth;

7. In extracting apparatus'of the character described, the combination, with a kettle, of the revolving cylinder entirely submerged in the liquid, having open distributing-chainbers for conveying the ore through`the liquid, and a plunger for conveying portions of the ore successivelyto the chambers, substantially as set forth.

8. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a kettle, of two or more cylinders revolving within said kettle, each having distributing-chambers, the first of which delivers the ore to the next, and so on, if more than two are used, substantially as set forth.

9. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with the kettle, of the cylinder revolving in the liquid of the kettle, divided into open radial chambers, and having one or more outlets for each chamber at the ends of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

10. In extracting apparatus ofthe character described, the cylinder having end plates, and radial plates dividing it into chambers, and one or more apertures in the end plates for each chamber, substantially as set forth.

1l. In extracting apparatus of the character described, radial plates, each having a continuous surface, between which the material is carried through the liquid, substantially as set forth.

l2. In extracting apparatus of the character described, radial plates riffled in both sides, between which the material is carried through the liquid of the kettle, substantially as set forth.

13. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with the kettle, of the cover forming ascraping-surface forthe oreconveying devices, substantially as set forth.

14. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the oreconveying cylinder, adjust- IOO IIO

able vertically relative to the cover, substan- 16. In extracting apparatus ofthe character described, the combination, with the kettle andthe cover having ribs on its under side, of the plunger moving between said ribs for delivering the material to the liquid in the kettle, substantially as set forth.

17. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, with the kettle, of the plunger for delivering the material to the liquid in the'kettle, said plunger having a movable face-plate, substantially as set forth.

18. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, With the kettle, of the tubular plunger for delivering the material to theliquid in the kettle, and the rod eX- tending through said plunger, and carrying a faceplate at its end, substantially as set forth.

19. In extracting apparatus of the character described, the combination, With a kettle having a discharge-opening, through which the refuse rises, ot' means for varying the angle at which it rises, substantially as set forth.

20.y The combination, with the kettle which contains the amalgamating-liquid, and devices for conveying the material through the liquid to the discharge, of a hinged plate forming one side of the discharge-Way, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 25th day of April, 1884.

VALTER HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

JULIUs L. HORNIG, WM. H. GOODWIN. 

